Method and apparatus for storing oil



INVENTOR S ATTORNEY BYQ/ Nov. 24, 1925- W. C. MORRIS ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS F'OR STORING OIL Filed July 19 1924 fill! lt atented Nova St ll, l k1 U. I

VJILLIATVI CULLEN METHGLB AND A? tFJGOTDS. F ASTORIA,

QTURING OIL.

Application filed July 19, 1 Serial No. 726,922.

To all whom it may cormcrn:

lle it known that we, l iuiiiiumr C'UiilfiQI-J l vlonius and (liconon E. l i ooine cit" ens of the United Slates residing re atively,

in Flushing Long Island, State o1? New York, and in Astoria, borough of QJUGGDFV? city and State oft New York, have invent d a certain Improvement in lttcthods and lip paratus for Storing ()il of which the tol- Al lowing is a specili ation.

'l he sate storage and delivery of inflammable liquids and more pz'irticularly of oil presents a serious problen'i because of the great dan er ot its catching tire, and often o't explosion.

Goverinnental regulations are everywhere prescribed with the end in view or ininin'uz iing this danger; but destructive contlagrations, due to lighting or other causes occur from time to time in spite oi these regulations. The ideal solution of the problem has not hitherto been proposed.

Uur present invention relates to a method and means for conveniently storing and delivering oil or other fluids under conditions of the greatest possible safety inasmuch as our method involves entirely surrounding the inflammable fluid with water.

These ends are accomplished by very simple and easily operated apparatus and under conditions permitting the oil to be drawn oil when needed with the greatest possible case.

Our invention is illustrated in a preferred form in the accon'ipauyiug drmving which is a diagranunatic view in \wrtlcal section ct our apparatus erected within a lulilding ot which one Wall. is shown.

Our improved method. of storage and delivery consists in confining the oil or the like within a body of water and in such a manner that this water exerts a static pressure on the oil. When it is desired to draw oil more or less of the oil the opening of a valve permits the water pressure to become eitl ective to cause or assist the flow outward oi? the oil and the filling ot the space previously occupied by the oil with water.

To carry out this method we prefer the apparatus exemplified in the drawlng, wherein an exterior tank 10 is provided within which is located a smaller inner oilholding tank 11. The inner tank is pref erably provided with a dome 12, up into which extends the open extremity of an oiladmission pipe 13 provided with a valve 14, which may, it desired be placed outside 01' the wall 15 of any building within which our apparatus is placed.

A vent pipe 16 extends upward from the top of the inner tank to the outside of the exterior tank, and this pipe is provided with a valve 17.

The pipe 1.8 and valve 19 are provided for admitting water to the outer tank 10; and the pipe 20 is supplied to permit movement of air in and out of the tank 10 as the level of the water rises and falls within it.

Flow of water from the outer to the inner 'ank is permitted by communication near the bottom of the inner tank; for instance by means of simple openings 21 around the lower wall of the tank 11. 1

Operation of the apparatus is very simple. The oil valve 14- being closed and the vent valve- 17 being open, water is admitted hrough the pipe 18 until it fills the tank 10 and stands at some such level as that shown by the dotted line 2223, so that the water practically covers the tank 11. The outer tank should be made large enough so that its cubic capacity above the line 2Qr23may be at least equal to the entire capacity of the tank 11. This is to accommodate the dis placement of water in the tank 10 incident to filling the tank 11 with oil.

The valve 19 being now closed the valve 1% is opened and oil is forced inward through the pipe 13, thus entering at the top of the tank 11. The valve 17 is left open :tor a few inon'ients to purge any vapor that may be in the dome 12 or just above it, and this valve is then closed. As the oil continues to enter through the pipe 13, it drives the wa ter out of the tank 11 through the openings 21, and the water level rises correspondingly in the outer tank.

This continues until the tank 11 is full of oil, when the valve 14L may be closed.

It will thus be seen that the oil is entirely surrounded by water which etllectively prevents all access of lire, and at the same time the volume of this water above the line 22 23 is always available for replacing the oil when it is removed.

Nhen using the pipe 13 to draw oil the oil, it is only necessary to open the valve 14, when the water level 2223 will. fall, the water entering the tank 11 at the bottom and forcing out the oil through the pipe 13.

Various changes may he made ,in this ap paratus Without departing from the SC ,pe of the invention, which is not limited to the de tails herein shown and descrihed.

What we claim is:

1. A storing and delivering apparatus tor oil and the like, con'iprising an exterior tank closed at top, bottom and sides, a second tank secured on the bottom of the exterior tank and within the same, the top of the inner tank being closed and its sides perforated adjacent the bottom, the top of the inner tank having a small central dome, a vent pipe leading to the atmosphere from said dome and passing through the top ot' the exterior tank, a second vent pipe in the top of the exterior tank, means for admitting water to the outer tank, and a single oil conduit entering substantially at the center of the bottom, terminating in said dome and adapted to selectively till or drain the inner tank.

An apparatus as described in claim 1 in which the capacity of the outer tank at least double that ol? the inner tank.

in testimony Whereoi we have hereto set: our hands and ends this 9th day of July, 19%. 

